


submerge

by earendilion



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Merpeople, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-10
Updated: 2016-11-10
Packaged: 2018-08-30 04:56:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8519299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/earendilion/pseuds/earendilion
Summary: A siren is born of a death at sea. A siren is born of anger, of sadness, of confusion, and of desire. A siren is born of a death unjustified. A siren is born of a life unfulfilled.





	

The stories tell of fish folk with the upper halves of beautiful men and women who lured people to their graves beneath the sea. Seungcheol pondered how exactly they did just that. Surely the average fisherman wouldn't be swayed by some unholy sea demon clinging to their boats; no, they would meet the hard end of his oar. He agreed though, on the notion of a creature more beautiful than any human could ever hope to be, and for men and women alike to succumb to their will through their beauty alone. He imagined flaxen hair, a face so bright and soft and carefully sculpted, and hands like porcelain that pulled him to the depths of the sea without him even noticing the lack of air.

He was pulled out of his reverie by shouts coming from outside his house; it was time for work. He grabbed his net (newly woven; it took him three nights to finish) and stepped out into the morning sun, his feet grazing upon familiar sands.

*

Despite the clouds at the horizon, the waters were calm. They should be able to get back safely by noon, said one fisherman. Seungcheol stared at the waves as the fishermen’s voices droned on in the background. He closed his eyes and let the salty wind cool his sun-kissed cheeks. For a moment, he let the sea take over him—the crash of the waves, the sting of salt water, the scent of the sea. It reminded him why he had so loved life near the shore. 

When he came to, everything was dark. The clouds that only lingered harmlessly by the horizon had swallowed up the sky. Seungcheol could barely hear their hushed, panicked mumbling over the sudden roar of the wind. His instinct to help get their boat back to shore was interrupted by a voice. A strange voice, one that did not belong to his fellow fishermen and one that seemed to defy the howling wind. He turned back to the sea, and walked slowly towards the edge of the boat. 

It came from the water. 

After one, two, three seconds, something rose up. Golden hair. It—he looked up at Seungcheol, eyes unblinking. Seungcheol stared back, unable to draw a breath, enamored by this strange man’s alien beauty. The blond man started humming and drew closer, slowly, waters around him undisturbed. Seungcheol could do nothing but lean down, his mind a blank save for that beautiful, haunting song. The man held a ghostly hand out and caressed Seungcheol’s cheek, moving up to thread his fingers through his hair. 

_I want to kiss him,_ thought Seungcheol. _He wants me to give myself to him, and I will._

The humming stopped. The man’s face slowly shifted and contorted, eyes becoming sunken and slitted and mouth transforming into nothing more than a gaping hole lined with crooked teeth. He let out a bloodcurdling shriek and Seungcheol was frozen until he felt hands wrap around his waist and pull him back to safety. The blond man’s face shifted back to normal in confusion. For a while he was silent, staring at Seungcheol like some prize that he hadn't planned on letting go of. Then, slowly, he sank back into the sea.

*

They escorted him back to his house after that. The rain now only a light drizzle, Seungcheol declined their offers of one of them staying keep an eye on him, lest he was hurt from the encounter. They left quickly, talking amongst themselves in hushed tones. No one has ever survived a siren, they said, and what does this mean for us now? Perhaps it was a bad omen. But Seungcheol heard none of those things, because the only thing on his mind was that pale, angelic face and the song that seemed to echo all around him.


End file.
